Spring training: Carpenter impressive for Cards

Sunday

Mar 1, 2009 at 12:01 AMMar 1, 2009 at 12:05 AM

JUPITER, Fla. — Chris Carpenter’s first spring outing was a breeze. Carpenter needed only 19 pitches to throw two hitless innings in the St. Louis Cardinals’ 9-2 victory over the Washington Nationals on Saturday.

JUPITER, Fla. — Chris Carpenter’s first spring outing was a breeze.

Carpenter needed only 19 pitches to throw two hitless innings in the St. Louis Cardinals’ 9-2 victory over the Washington Nationals on Saturday.

It was Carpenter’s first appearance in a game since September. He was sidelined by elbow and shoulder injuries for most of the past two seasons.

“I’ve been in a lot of spring trainings, and spring training is a lot different than the regular season, but like I’ve said all along I’ve felt strong and I’ve felt good, and my stuff’s there,” Carpenter said. “Now I have just got to be able to continue to progress my arm strength and pitch count, and get ready to go.”

Carpenter struck out none, walked none and hit a batter in his shutout innings.
Daniel Cabrera had a more difficult time in his Nationals debut, allowing two runs and four hits in two innings.

Carpenter won the National League Cy Young Award in 2005, when he went 21-5 with a 2.83 ERA. He won 15 games for the Cardinals during their 2006 World Series title run but has started only four games since.

Carpenter originally was slated to throw 40 pitches, but Cardinals manager Tony La Russa pulled the right-hander after the second inning.

“Forty is just a number of conditioning, then you put the factors together and you see what makes sense,” La Russa said. “He accomplished a lot. He pitched two solid innings. He’ll have a great four days of preparation or five days — there won’t be anything that stops him from coming out there again. I didn’t think a third inning was worth trying to push.”

Cubs 13, White Sox 0
At Mesa, Ariz., Aaron Heilman was traded twice in the offseason. Now, he’s hoping to find a home in the Chicago Cubs’ starting rotation.

The former New York Mets prospect pitched two scoreless inning in the Cubs’ 13-0 win over the White Sox, perhaps giving manager Lou Piniella another reason to consider him for the back end of the rotation.

Piniella said recently he’d like to see the right-hander in a set-up role.

“Ultimately it’s the manager, pitching coach and general manager’s decision as to how I fit into the puzzle,” Heilman said. “It’s a long spring and we will see how that plays out.”

Heilman, a Chicago resident and Indiana native who grew up a Cubs fan, allowed one hit and struck out four before a record crowd at HoHoKam Park.

Brad Snyder had a grand slam during a nine-run seventh for the Cubs, who generated 14 hits.
The highlight for the White Sox was the debut of right-hander Jeff Marquez, acquired from the New York Yankees in the Nick Swisher trade. He was solid in his first start, pitching two hitless innings.

Marmol changes mind
Cubs reliever Carlos Marmol has decided to pitch for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic after all.

The 26-year-old Marmol said Saturday that after talking with Felipe Alou and Stan Javier of the Dominican team, he had decided to join his countrymen. He’d said earlier during camp that he wouldn’t do it.

Marmol will pitch for the Cubs on Monday and then leave for the WBC the following day. Piniella said he’s fine with Marmol’s decision and it won’t affect the competition for closer. Marmol is vying for the Cubs’ closer position with Kevin Gregg.

In other news, third baseman Corey Koskie and the Cubs have agreed to a minor league contract with an invitation to their spring training camp.

Koskie, 35, has been out of the majors since he sustained a concussion while playing for Milwaukee in 2006. But he says he is fully recovered and will play for Canada in the World Baseball Classic. He will report to the Cubs’ camp after Canada is finished playing in the WBC.

Werth’s shoulder sore
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth, a Chatham Glenwood High School graduate, was scratched from the lineup Saturday with soreness in his right shoulder. The Phillies beat the Tampa Bay Rays 12-5 in Clearwater, Fla.

Werth, who has not played in a game this spring, suffered the injury in batting practice Friday and is hoping to make his spring debut Monday.

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